23andMe Snags GeneticScreening.com For A Mere $2200

If your mind just drew a blank — or an image of Ethan Hawke fiddling around with tweezers in GATTACA — then you probably aren’t alone.

The answer, of course, is 23 pairs, for a total of 46 chromosomes. And it’s what the name of well-funded genetic testing company 23andMe, which has raised some $52.6 million to date, refers to.

Despite the reference (which may not be obvious to most people), that name isn’t a bad one, as it makes an intimidating topic sound more friendly and accessible. But now the company has another option at its disposal that’s a lot more straightforward (and SEO friendly, no doubt): GeneticScreening.com.

As was first reported by DomainShane, 23andMe cofounder Anne Wojcicki bought the domain for a mere $2200 on Sedo in the last two weeks. The domain now redirects to 23andme .com.

The domain is a big deal for the company. 23andMe is easy enough to remember, but the term ‘Genetic Screening’ is a generic term that can encompass countless types of tests, and could eventually become extremely popular in Google searches. DNA testing isn’t exactly a hot topic for most people just yet, but it will be — in the coming years such testing is likely to explode as researchers uncover which chunks of DNA contribute to which traits and diseases.

Reached for comment, the company confirmed that it has indeed acquired the domain, and that while there are no immediate plans for using it, it “may be integrated into continuing business development planning.”